Category: Military history

Despite the rise in popularity of plant-based diets today, historical evidence overwhelmingly suggests that the ancient Spartans were not vegan. Their diet, renowned for its austerity, included animal products like wild game, fish, cheese, and the infamous blood-based 'black broth'.

Beriberi, a crippling disease caused by a severe thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency, was a devastating reality for thousands of soldiers and prisoners of war (POWs) during World War II. The harsh conditions and inadequate rations, especially in the Pacific and Southeast Asian theaters, created a fertile ground for this nutritional disorder to flourish and claim countless lives.

The calorie count of a day's worth of original C-rations, consisting of six cans, was approximately 2,794 kcal during World War II. Over their service life, the specific nutritional value of C-rations and their direct successor, the Meal, Combat, Individual (MCI), varied, reflecting changing military dietary requirements. These canned provisions were a crucial part of a soldier's sustenance in the field for decades.

Food fortification has been a successful public health strategy since the 1920s, yet what is fortification in one word remains a common question. The answer lies in understanding its core purpose, which transcends different fields from military history to modern nutrition.

The reputation of Spartan warriors was built on a foundation of austerity and discipline, extending even to their notoriously unappetizing black broth. However, this Spartan frugality has led to the common misconception that they ate a purely protein-based diet, leading many to question: did Spartans eat carbs? The historical evidence reveals a more nuanced picture.

During World War II, a significant number of military personnel experienced severe heat-related illnesses while deployed in tropical climates like the Pacific, prompting the use of salt tablets as a preventative measure. In the intense heat and humidity, heavy exertion caused marines to lose critical electrolytes through sweat, and salt pills were the era's medical solution for replenishing these vital minerals.

Across history, military food provisions were often defined by logistical and technological limitations, not culinary preferences. This meant that what was included in the typical diet of the soldier could vary drastically depending on the era, location, and nature of the conflict. From the basic gruel of ancient times to the complex, self-heating meals of today, a soldier's rations tell a story of endurance, innovation, and survival.

The phrase "peanut butter shot" has two starkly contrasting meanings, one being a popular, dessert-like cocktail and the other, a historically painful military antibiotic injection.

Article 26 of the Third Geneva Convention mandates that prisoners of war receive a diet 'sufficient in quantity, quality and variety to keep prisoners of war in good health and to prevent weight loss'. However, the actual number of calories a POW receives is not specified and has varied wildly across different conflicts and captors throughout history.

The construction of fortified structures can be traced back to Neolithic times, with the city of Jericho featuring a stone wall and tower as early as 8000 BCE. Over millennia, human ingenuity has adapted to evolving threats, giving rise to many different types of fortification structures built to protect territories and populations.